by L.C. “Elsee” – updated 2/3/2018
The phrase in the bible where some people tend to think God tells people to “have dominion over” the creatures of the earth, looks like it can be translated to “reign over” the …..(verse 26) -highlight the Hebrew and Google it.
Benevolent and and wise humans would rule or “reign” benevolently and wisely.
http://biblehub.com/interlinear/genesis/1.htm (verse 26-28)
The Hebrew word “subdue” – which also means “bondage” is used next. Right after humans. It could mean that humans are bound to this earth, It could be related to the feeling of gravity in comparison with the spiritual dimension.
Then the Hebrew letters really spell out “reign” again, when it is translated in the red ink to “dominion,” but if you Google it, the Hebrew term is really “reign.” This could be translated to “oversee.”
Also, as we learn when we pay attention to the basic points of the bible (New International Version, New Living Translation, Interlinear Version, biblehub.com) — things go better for the humans that listen to God for guidance; things go better when God is the supreme leader.
This is important stuff!!
The following story, corroborates my understanding of the above bible translation:
In 2015, a day before Earth Day, I asked a specially gifted listener of God, what is the priority for helping the planet. The answer was to stop the South American tropical rain-forest fire destruction. The listener said God was very sad– the listener felt great heavy sadness. God and the species both were sad. The species said “Don’t kill every last one of us, not every one of us!” The next days, the listener relayed that anthropological history and archaeological artifacts are important in this area. Important human history is still yet to be fully discovered and disclosed – see my post May 29, 2015. The day after Earth Day 2015, the listener was drawn to relay a 2012 NOVA documentary about Pole Shift on YouTube.
Linda's Peace Wellness Blog 
The problem is that given power over anything, it corrupts us to the core and creates an environment for abuse. Not just as stewards of the planet, but even in our own human history as evident in the whole history of slavery. Sure, there might have been a few overseers that were kind, decent people; but there were far many worse people who abused their authority and violated human rights. If we can’t treat each other decently, then there’s little hope for the plants and animals who are often considered our inferiors and far less important because they lack souls and are not eternal beings.
LikeLike
1. If we put God & Jesus as our “kings” – they represent high ideals that can’t be corrupted. Read the books of Samuel 1 & 2. (God tells the people they don’t need an earthly king…)
2. Re: Planetary and animal stewardship, (I rewrote an older article – https://peacewellness.wordpress.com/2017/01/21/god-guides-to-care-for-animals/)
LikeLike
Even with God and Jesus as our “kings”; people used the Bible to perpetuate slavery. Even with God as the “third party” in a Biblical Marriage, men can and still do abuse their wives.
God didn’t outlaw animal fighting in the Scriptures, people did that. God didn’t outlaw animal sacrifice in the Scriptures; they were still doing that even as Jesus walked the earth. God didn’t tell people not to wipe out entire species or to drive others to the brink of extinction; it’s people who decided to draw the line and set up rules about what could and couldn’t be done. It was people who thought their God-given superiority over animals could do whatever they wished with them.
LikeLike
I believe animals have souls. For example, if the pigs that Jesus cast the legion of bad spirits into and then they ran off and drowned, if they could receive bad spirits, that is similar to humans having a godly spirit and then acquiring one or more ungodly ones. I don’t know about plants, but I think if there is life, and communication and intelligence then there is God. Well even if there is emptiness…I am understanding that God can be as omnipresent as the “God particles.” If something has life, it has energy — see kirlian photography.
Re: power and corruption, see my related blog, Peace Planet Diagram https://peacewellness.wordpress.com/2017/09/11/structures-of-peace-chart/
Re: See my article, Yes, God Cares for Animals– And What Purpose Humans May Have
https://peacewellness.wordpress.com/2015/06/19/yes-god-cares-for-animals/
LikeLike
I appreciate your feedback. Before I crossed paths with a listener of God/YHVH, I probably thought like this. A Google search just indicated that 30 times in the bible, prophets (listeners of YHVH) have been killed! Just over the past three years I have come to understand that very perceptive intuitive listeners are present now and it appears to me that maybe we haven’t been really connecting with YHVH for guidance. Either way, it is great when humans can care for one another and other species.
There are a multitude of stories about how YHWH (Self-Existent One) helped people who asked for assistance and followed instructions. Early U.S. slaves had much hope with the stories of YHWH freeing the Jews from Egypt. It also is true that YHWH seems to leave people alone or quietly watch – as much guidance has already been given, including the teachings of Jesus Christ. We have Christ and the Holy Spirit to help us wage our spiritual war. I have heard of and have seen positive results–many miracles actually– by using the tips and tools given. I think it is possible to interpret the guidance of YHWH so we can evolve and wisely manage our species and other species.
Slavery: Some say that because there is slavery in the Bible, that YHWH is okay with it. There is the history of humans having free will, and making choices and ending up with consequences in the Bible. Joseph in Genesis is sold into slavery by his brothers (who later are the heads of the tribes of Israel). We see that because Joseph is responsible, gifted, connected and loyal to YHWH and honest, in about 15 years he becomes the supervisor of Egypt, alongside of the Pharaoh. So slavery happens, but if one does get enslaved, make the best of it. Also we see that at the end of the 430 years of being in Egypt, the “children (people) of Israel (Jacob)” begin to be mistreated and become slaves. They pray for help from YHWH and do get assistance. There are artifacts to back up the wild Exodus events.
Animal Sacrifices: In Isaiah, Chapter 1, YHWH says that he is tired of animals sacrifice offerings (like trying to pay for one’s sins rather than avoiding to sin in the first place)- that He would rather have obedience. The animals sacrifices stopped after Jesus died and the curtain at the temple ripped like how Jacob ripped his coat over grief of thinking Joseph was dead. But the temple in Israel is about to get rebuild and the sacrifices are planned to start again. The Hebrew’s (Hibiru’s) were shepherds and animals were part of their lives. The people of ancient times were having temple prostitution and sacrificing the resulting infants to “small g” gods for dark powers. This is still happening. YHWH was not asking for this type of sacrifice – in ancient times the food offerings fed the temple priests.
LikeLike